Iran’s final 23 for Asian Cup announced

PFDC – DOHA, Iran’s final Asian Cup squad was announced on Thursday morning, reducing the preliminary 27-men-squad to 23.

Persepolis goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi and his teammate Hadi Norouzi were crossed off, like Esteghlal Tehran defender Pejman Montazeri and Teraktorsazi Tabriz midfielder Mehdi Kiani.

Foolad Khuzestan striker Arash Afshin, despite not having played a single minute for Team Melli yet, meanwhile made the squad, just like Rah Ahan leftback Abouzar Rahimi, who at least played 90 minutes in Iran’s inofficial test match against Qatar’s army team (7-0).

Below comes the Iranian 2011 Asian Cup squad.

Goalkeepers:
Mehdi Rahmati – Sepahan Esfahan
Shahab Gordan – Zob Ahan Esfahan
Ebrahim Mirzapour – Paykan Ghazvin

Defenders:
Khosro Heydari – Sepahan Esfahan
Mohammad Nosrati – Teraktorsazi Tabriz
Jalal Hosseini – Sepahan Esfahan
Hadi Aghily – Sepahan Esfahan
Farshid Talebi – Zob Ahan Esfahan
Ehsan Hajsafi – Sepahan Esfahan
Abouzar Rahimi – Rah Ahan Ray

Midfielders:
Javad Nekounam – CA Osasuna, ESP
Andranik Teymourian – Teraktorsazi Tabriz
Pejman Nouri – Malavan Anzali
Iman Mobali – Esteghlal Tehran
Mohammad Nouri – Persepolis Tehran
Ghasem Hadadifar – Zob Ahan Esfahan

Strikers:
Masoud Shojaei – CA Osasuna, ESP
Gholamreza Rezaei – Persepolis Tehran
Mohammad-Reza Khalatbari – Zob Ahan Esfahan
Arash Afshin – Foolad Khuzestan
Mohammad Gholami – Steel Azin Tehran
Karim Ansarifard – Saipa Karaj
Reza Norouzi – Foolad Khuzestan